Two-neutrino double electron capture of 124Xe in the first LUX-ZEPLIN exposure

The LZ collaboration; E. Bishop; A. S.J. Murphy; A. Nguyen; K. Y. Oyulmaz; Harkirat Riyat; S. Shaw

doi:10.1088/1361-6471/ad9039

Two-neutrino double electron capture of ¹²⁴Xe in the first LUX-ZEPLIN exposure

The LZ collaboration, E. Bishop, A. S.J. Murphy, A. Nguyen, K. Y. Oyulmaz, Harkirat Riyat, S. Shaw

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The broad physics reach of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment covers rare phenomena beyond the direct detection of dark matter. We report precise measurements of the extremely rare decay of ¹²⁴Xe through the process of two-neutrino double electron capture, utilizing a 1.39 kg × yr isotopic exposure from the first LZ science run. A half-life of T₁²_/ⁿ₂^2EC = (1.09 ± 0.14 _stat ± 0.05_sys ) × 10²² yr is observed with a statistical significance of 8.3σ, in agreement with literature. First empirical measurements of the KK capture fraction relative to other K-shell modes were conducted, and demonstrate consistency with respect to recent signal models at the 1.4σ level.

Original language	English
Article number	015103
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics
Volume	52
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6471/ad9039
Publication status	Published - 6 Dec 2024

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

dark matter detectors
double electron capture
nuclear decays
rare decays
time projection chambers
xenon detectors

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10.1088/1361-6471/ad9039Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

Cite this

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title = "Two-neutrino double electron capture of 124Xe in the first LUX-ZEPLIN exposure",

abstract = "The broad physics reach of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment covers rare phenomena beyond the direct detection of dark matter. We report precise measurements of the extremely rare decay of 124Xe through the process of two-neutrino double electron capture, utilizing a 1.39 kg × yr isotopic exposure from the first LZ science run. A half-life of T12/n22EC = (1.09 ± 0.14 stat ± 0.05sys ) × 1022 yr is observed with a statistical significance of 8.3σ, in agreement with literature. First empirical measurements of the KK capture fraction relative to other K-shell modes were conducted, and demonstrate consistency with respect to recent signal models at the 1.4σ level.",

keywords = "dark matter detectors, double electron capture, nuclear decays, rare decays, time projection chambers, xenon detectors",

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T1 - Two-neutrino double electron capture of 124Xe in the first LUX-ZEPLIN exposure

AU - The LZ collaboration

AU - Bishop, E.

AU - Murphy, A. S.J.

AU - Nguyen, A.

AU - Oyulmaz, K. Y.

AU - Riyat, Harkirat

AU - Shaw, S.

PY - 2024/12/6

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N2 - The broad physics reach of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment covers rare phenomena beyond the direct detection of dark matter. We report precise measurements of the extremely rare decay of 124Xe through the process of two-neutrino double electron capture, utilizing a 1.39 kg × yr isotopic exposure from the first LZ science run. A half-life of T12/n22EC = (1.09 ± 0.14 stat ± 0.05sys ) × 1022 yr is observed with a statistical significance of 8.3σ, in agreement with literature. First empirical measurements of the KK capture fraction relative to other K-shell modes were conducted, and demonstrate consistency with respect to recent signal models at the 1.4σ level.

AB - The broad physics reach of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment covers rare phenomena beyond the direct detection of dark matter. We report precise measurements of the extremely rare decay of 124Xe through the process of two-neutrino double electron capture, utilizing a 1.39 kg × yr isotopic exposure from the first LZ science run. A half-life of T12/n22EC = (1.09 ± 0.14 stat ± 0.05sys ) × 1022 yr is observed with a statistical significance of 8.3σ, in agreement with literature. First empirical measurements of the KK capture fraction relative to other K-shell modes were conducted, and demonstrate consistency with respect to recent signal models at the 1.4σ level.

KW - dark matter detectors

KW - double electron capture

KW - nuclear decays

KW - rare decays

KW - time projection chambers

KW - xenon detectors

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ER -

Two-neutrino double electron capture of ¹²⁴Xe in the first LUX-ZEPLIN exposure

Abstract

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Experimental Particle Physics at the University of Edinburgh

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Two-neutrino double electron capture of 124Xe in the first LUX-ZEPLIN exposure

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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Experimental Particle Physics at the University of Edinburgh

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Two-neutrino double electron capture of ¹²⁴Xe in the first LUX-ZEPLIN exposure